This invention relates to fluid orifice device having encoded orifice size indicia, and particularly to a pneumatic fitting including an orifice with orifice size indicia.
With the development of various fluid monitoring and controls, fluid fittings are often required to control and/or to sense the flow of fluid. Pneumatic devices or systems in particular, often require rather miniature, precise orifice devices interconnected into a flow system, with appropriate mounting to a support or other physical device. In a particularly practical and commercially desirable construction, a fitting is often provided consisting of an outer body or housing having a barbed end for interconnection to a hose, and a mounting end, such as a threaded post for interconnection to a support member or structure. Generally with present day technology, the fitting body is formed of brass or other metallic material and typically with the barbed end and an opposite end threaded member. The unit is recessed generally adjacent the mounting end with a precision formed orifice mounted within the body. The precision orifice unit is often and preferably a ruby body having a precision orifice formed therein in accordance with well-known technology. The orifice unit is then firmly secured within the brass or other metallic body. Such devices can be mass produced. The use of a precision ruby orifice however, results in a rather costly orifice unit. Further, the only way in which the size can be determined is by direct viewing of the ruby orifice body.
Generally, in all such devices known to the present inventor, the orifice device does not identify the size of the orifice. The matter is complicated by the fact that a standard fitting may be widely used for different orifices. Heretofore, the only method known to the inventor for determining the actual size of an orifice in a particular fitting is to remove the fitting and physically look into the fitting and analyze the size of the orifice. Accurate determination of the size of the orifice may involve practical considerations for maintaining proper system operation, prevention of adverse damaging effects on the components of the system, the need for replacement, the applicability of the system to a particular application, and the like. The visual analysis or removal and analysis is also a relatively time-consuming and costly process.
As a result of the prior art status, there is a significant demand for an orifice device, and particularly a small orifice device, consisting of a fitting with an internal orifice having a convenient method and structure for directly visually determining the size of the orifice, without the necessity of removal of the orifice device from the supporting structure. In addition, the device should preferably be adapted to mass construction as a fitting with an outer body member for mounting and connection of the fitting in a fluid system including hoses and the like, as well as a physical support structure as by a threaded coupler or the like.